“Bets made on predicting sports match results, goals, and other details via social media groups and apps—where participants pay money and only winners receive the funds while others lose—are forbidden gambling,” the Al-Azhar International Fatwa Centre stated in a statement on Friday.

Local media reported that a 23-year-old man from Minya Governorate hanged himself last week at his home after amassing debts from participating in an online betting game.

Al-Azhar also stressed that gambling and betting are legally haram, citing their serious repercussions, such as damaging family finances and stability and negatively impacting children, all of which lead to frequent marital problems and increased divorce rates.

The statement also highlighted that gambling addiction, “like alcohol and drug addiction”, contributes to unhappiness, moral decay, and psychological disorders, and can drive people to engage in criminal activities such as theft.

Furthermore, Al-Azhar urged all segments of society to raise awareness about the risks associated with betting apps.